Support data connectivity over WLAN and WWAN

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices are described for managing data connectivity at a user equipment (UE). The managing may include determining that all traffic of all PDN connections of the UE is currently offloaded to a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) access network and then refraining from transmitting and receiving data over Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) PDN connections while all traffic of all PDN connections of the UE is offloaded to the WLAN access network. In response to detecting a triggering event, a PDN connection may be established with at least one of an available WWAN access network or the WLAN access network, according to a current WWAN camping status of the UE and a WLAN offload policy.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of managing data connectivity at a user equipment (UE), comprising:
 determining that all traffic of all packet data network (PDN) connections of the UE is currently offloaded to a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) access network; 
 refraining from transmitting and receiving data over Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) PDN connections while all traffic of all PDN connections of the UE is offloaded to the WLAN access network; 
 determining that an only WWAN access network currently available to the UE is an LTE access network; 
 camping, based on the determining that the only WWAN access network currently available is an LTE access network, on the LTE access network and receiving system information block messages from the LTE access network while refraining from transmitting and receiving data over the WWAN PDN connections; 
 detecting a triggering event; and 
 establishing a PDN connection with at least one of an available WWAN access network or the WLAN access network in response to the triggering event according to a current WWAN camping status of the UE and a WLAN offload policy. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the refraining from transmitting and receiving data over WWAN PDN connections comprises at least one of placing the UE in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) limited service mode or disabling LTE functionality at the UE. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 identifying an LTE access network available to the UE and a non-LTE WWAN access network available to the UE; and 
 switching to camping on the non-LTE WWAN access network instead of the LTE access network while refraining from transmitting and receiving data over WWAN PDN connections. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the triggering event comprises:
 a determination to transfer an existing PDN connection from the WLAN access network to the available WWAN access network. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 switching to camping on an evolved packet core (EPC)-capable non-LTE WWAN access network instead of the LTE access network while refraining from transmitting and receiving data over WWAN PDN connections; 
 transferring the existing PDN connection of the UE to the EPC-capable non-LTE WWAN access network in response to the triggering event; 
 performing, in response to the triggering event, at least one of: enabling LTE functionality or placing the UE in an LTE normal mode; and 
 transferring the existing PDN connection of the UE from the EPC-capable non-LTE WWAN access network to an LTE access network in response to the UE attaching to the LTE access network or entering the LTE normal mode. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 determining that the UE is camped on an LTE access network in a limited service mode while refraining from transmitting and receiving data over WWAN PDN connections or that the UE has disabled LTE functionality and is not camping on any WWAN access network while refraining from transmitting and receiving data over WWAN PDN connections; 
 performing, in response to the triggering event, at least one of: enabling LTE functionality or placing the UE in an LTE normal mode; and 
 transferring the existing PDN connection of the UE from the WLAN access network to the LTE access network in response to the UE attaching to the LTE access network or entering the LTE normal mode. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the triggering event comprises:
 receiving an application request at the UE to establish a new data connection supported by only WWAN access networks. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 switching to camping on an evolved packet core (EPC)-capable non-LTE WWAN access network instead of the LTE access network while refraining from transmitting and receiving data over WWAN PDN connections; 
 establishing a new PDN connection at the EPC-capable non-LTE WWAN access network in response to the triggering event; 
 performing, in response to the triggering event, at least one of: enabling LTE functionality or placing the UE in an LTE normal mode; and 
 transferring the new PDN connection of the UE from the EPC-capable non-LTE WWAN access network to an LTE access network in response to the UE attaching to the LTE access network or entering the LTE normal mode. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 determining that the UE is camped on an LTE access network in a limited service mode while refraining from transmitting and receiving data over WWAN PDN connections; 
 placing the UE in an LTE normal mode in response to the triggering event; and 
 establishing a new PDN connection at the LTE access network in response to the UE entering the LTE normal mode. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 performing, in response to the triggering event, at least one of: enabling LTE functionality at the UE or placing the UE in an LTE normal mode; and 
 establishing a new PDN connection over an LTE access network in response to the UE attaching to the LTE access network within a threshold amount of time. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 returning a failure to an application that made the application request in response to a determination that the UE has not attached to the LTE access network within the threshold amount of time; and 
 performing, in response to the determination that the UE has not attached to the LTE access network within the threshold amount of time, at least one of: disabling LTE functionality or placing the UE in the LTE limited service mode. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the triggering event comprises:
 an application request to establish a new PDN connection for which WWAN has a higher priority than WLAN. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 switching to camping on an evolved packet core (EPC)-capable non-LTE WWAN access network instead of the LTE access network while refraining from transmitting and receiving data over WWAN PDN connections; 
 establishing the new PDN connection at the EPC-capable non-LTE WWAN access network in response to the triggering event; 
 performing, in response to the triggering event, at least one of: enabling LTE functionality or placing the UE in an LTE normal mode; and 
 transferring the new PDN connection of the UE from the EPC-capable non-LTE WWAN access network to an LTE access network in response to the UE attaching to the LTE access network or entering the LTE normal mode. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 determining that the UE is camped on an LTE access network in a limited service mode while refraining from transmitting and receiving data over WWAN PDN connections; 
 placing the UE in an LTE normal mode in response to the triggering event; and 
 establishing the new PDN connection at the LTE access network in response to the UE entering the LTE normal mode. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 performing, in response to the triggering event, at least one of: enabling LTE functionality or placing the UE in an LTE normal mode; 
 establishing the new PDN connection at the WLAN access network in response to the triggering event; and 
 transferring the new PDN connection of the UE from the WLAN access network to an LTE access network in response to the UE attaching to the LTE access network. 
 
     
     
       16. A user equipment (UE), comprising:
 means for determining that all traffic of all packet data network (PDN) connections of the UE is currently offloaded to a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) access network; 
 means for refraining from transmitting and receiving data over Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) PDN connections while all traffic of all PDN connections of the UE is offloaded to the WLAN access network; 
 means for determining that an only WWAN access network currently available to the UE is an LTE access network; 
 means for camping, based on the determining that the only WWAN access network currently available in the LTE access network, on the LTE access network and receiving system information block messages from the LTE access network while refraining from transmitting and receiving data over the WWAN PDN connections; 
 means for detecting a triggering event; and 
 means for establishing a PDN connection with at least one of an available WWAN access network or the WLAN access network in response to the triggering event according to a current WWAN camping status of the UE and a WLAN offload policy. 
 
     
     
       17. The UE of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 means for placing the UE in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) limited service mode or disabling LTE functionality at the UE. 
 
     
     
       18. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:
 at least one processor configured to: 
 determine that all traffic of all packet data network (PDN) connections of the UE is currently offloaded to a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) access network; 
 refrain from transmitting and receiving data over Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) PDN connections while all traffic of all PDN connections of the UE is offloaded to the WLAN access network; 
 determine that an only WWAN access network currently available to the UE is an LTE access network; 
 camp, based on the determination that the only WWAN access network currently available in the LTE access network, on the LTE access network and receiving system information block messages from the LTE access network while refraining from transmitting and receiving data over the WWAN PDN connections; 
 detect a triggering event; and 
 establish a PDN connection with at least one of an available WWAN access network or the WLAN access network in response to the triggering event according to a current WWAN camping status of the UE and a WLAN offload policy. 
 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the refraining from transmitting and receiving data over WWAN PDN connections comprises at least one of placing the UE in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) limited service mode or disabling LTE functionality at the UE. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
 identify an LTE access network available to the UE and a non-LTE WWAN access network available to the UE; and 
 switch to camping on the non-LTE WWAN access network instead of the LTE access network while refraining from transmitting and receiving data over WWAN PDN connections. 
 
     
     
       21. The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the triggering event comprises:
 determining to transfer an existing PDN connection from the WLAN access network to the available WWAN access network. 
 
     
     
       22. The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
 switch to camping on an evolved packet core (EPC)-capable non-LTE WWAN access network instead of the LTE access network while refraining from transmitting and receiving data over WWAN PDN connections; 
 transfer the existing PDN connection of the UE to the EPC-capable non-LTE WWAN access network in response to the triggering event; 
 perform, in response to the triggering event, at least one of: enabling LTE functionality or placing the UE in an LTE normal mode; and 
 transfer the existing PDN connection of the UE from the EPC-capable non-LTE WWAN access network to an LTE access network in response to the UE attaching to the LTE access network or entering the LTE normal mode. 
 
     
     
       23. The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
 determine that the UE is camped on an LTE access network in a limited service mode while refraining from transmitting and receiving data over WWAN PDN connections or that the UE has disabled LTE functionality and is not camping on any WWAN access network while refraining from transmitting and receiving data over WWAN PDN connections; 
 perform, in response to the triggering event, at least one of: enabling LTE functionality or placing the UE in an LTE normal mode; and 
 transfer the existing PDN connection of the UE from the WLAN access network to the LTE access network in response to the UE attaching to the LTE access network or entering the LTE normal mode. 
 
     
     
       24. The apparatus of  claim 19  , wherein the triggering event comprises:
 receive an application request at the UE to establish a new data connection supported by only WWAN access networks. 
 
     
     
       25. The apparatus of  claim 24  wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
 switch to camping on an evolved packet core (EPC)-capable non-LTE WWAN access network instead of the LTE access network while refraining from transmitting and receiving data over WWAN PDN connections; 
 establish a new PDN connection at the EPC-capable non-LTE WWAN access network in response to the triggering event; 
 perform, in response to the triggering event, at least one of: enabling LTE functionality or placing the UE in an LTE normal mode; and 
 transfer the new PDN connection of the UE from the EPC-capable non-LTE WWAN access network to an LTE access network in response to the UE attaching to the LTE access network or entering the LTE normal mode. 
 
     
     
       26. The apparatus of  claim 24  wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
 determine that the UE is camped on an LTE access network in a limited service mode while refraining from transmitting and receiving data over WWAN PDN connections; 
 place the UE in an LTE normal mode in response to the triggering event; and 
 establish a new PDN connection at the LTE access network in response to the UE entering the LTE normal mode. 
 
     
     
       27. The apparatus of  claim 24  wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
 perform, in response to the triggering event, at least one of: enabling LTE functionality at the UE or placing the UE in an LTE normal mode; and 
 establish a new PDN connection over an LTE access network in response to the UE attaching to the LTE access network within a threshold amount of time. 
 
     
     
       28. A computer program product, comprising:
 a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable program code stored thereon, the computer-readable program code comprising: 
 computer-readable program code configured to cause at least one processor to determine that all traffic of all packet data network (PDN) connections of the UE is currently offloaded to a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) access network; 
 computer-readable program code configured to cause the at least one processor to refrain from transmitting and receiving data over Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) PDN connections while all traffic of all PDN connections of the UE is offloaded to the WLAN access network; 
 computer-readable program code configured to cause the at least one processor to determine that an only WWAN access network currently available to the UE is an LTE access network; 
 computer-readable program code configured to cause the at least one processor to camp, based on the determination that the only WWAN access network currently available in the LTE access network, on the LTE access network and receiving system information block messages from the LTE access network while refraining from transmitting and receiving data over the WWAN PDN connections; 
 computer-readable program code configured to cause the at least one processor to detecting a triggering event; and 
 computer-readable program code configured to cause the at least one processor to establish a PDN connection with at least one of an available WWAN access network or the WLAN access network in response to the triggering event according to a current WWAN camping status of the UE and a WLAN offload policy.